Arthur Lopez Jr.
Real Name: Arthur Lopez Jr. Aliases: Red Ryder, Junior Wanted For: Murder, Distribution of Cocaine Missing Since: December 1999 Case Details: In the 1990s, the Lopez family operated a drug ring that distributed large quantities of marijuana and cocaine on the southside of Milwaukee. The drug ring was a highly lucrative and dangerous family business. The family owned seven properties in a two mile radius with high security systems for ideal drug-dealing locations. Allegedly, the gang's principal enforcer and hit man was twenty-year-old Arthur Lopez, Jr. Former rival Carlos Hernandez was once a member of the Latin Kings but had left the gang and turned his life around. He started a youth basketball organization and got a job with a city organization helping to keep children out of gangs. Part of his job was to try to mediate the problems between the rival gangs in the city. The Lopez gang went to Carlos about a territorial dispute with the Latin Kings. Arthur lopez jr2 carlos hernandez.jpg|Carlos Hernandez Vanessarivas.jpg|Vanessa Rivas Vanessarivas.png|Maximillano Castillo and Vanessa Rivas Authorities believe that Carlos was unable to resolve the issue, so Arthur Lopez and several family members surrounded the building where Carlos worked. When he left work at around 4:30PM on January 25, 1999, authorities say that Lopez put on a mask and rode his bike to Carlos's car. He then shot him eight times, killing him instantly. Though police had little evidence linking Arthur to the killing, he was later arrested for driving without a license. His father, Arthur Arturo Sr., went to the police station and demanded that they release his son or he would kill all of the police officers there. Arturo was convicted for threatening a police officer and was sentenced to eighteen months in prison. While in prison, he made several phone calls to his son and other family members about the drug ring. His phone calls were recorded by the police and a case was beginning to be made against the Lopez family. Meanwhile, Latin Kings member Maximillano Costillo and his girlfriend, Vanessa Rivas, were walking home from a trip to the grocery store on August 11, 1999, when a car began following the couple, driven by Arthur Lopez Jr. As they arrived home, the couple were shot several times by Lopez and his accomplice, Luis Acevedo. Both Vanessa, an innocent victim who had just celebrated her fifteenth birthday, and Maximilliano were killed. Within a few months, arrest warrants were placed for several Lopez gang members because of Arturo's phone calls and eyewitnesses. On December 15, 1999, eight members of the Lopez gang were arrested, but Arthur Lopez Jr. is still at large. Extra Notes: The case was featured as a part of the August 14, 2001 episode. Lopez was also profiled on America’s Most Wanted. Results: Captured. While on the run, Lopez taunted U.S. investigators, calling them and claiming that he would never be caught. In November of 2010, Lopez was arrested in Mexico after an anonymous tip lead authorities to Monterrey, where he surrendered to the U.S. consulate. He was using the alias "Roberto Gonzalez-Orozco". In 2012, Lopez was sentenced to forty years in prison as part of a plea deal. He will not be eligible for parole until 2045. Links: * Arthur Lopez on Unsolved.com * Arthur Lopez Wanted Poster * WANTED: Arthur Lopez Jr., for Triple Murder, Drug Trafficking * Fugitive who taunted U.S. captured in Mexico * Milwaukee fugitive wanted in 3 homicides arrested in Mexico * Plea deal leads to 40-year sentence for south side gang member ---- Category:Wisconsin Category:1999 Category:Murder Category:Terrorism Category:Drug-Related Cases Category:Gang-Related Cases Category:Captured